FROM THE WORLD TO THE BASQUE COUNTRY
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2007/XI/03
EUSKAL HERRIA IN PERSPECTIVE---September/October 2007 summary
The intention of these lines is to sum up the main sociopolitical facts happened during October and September.
*In the picture the 'trainerak' day in Donostia. Photo by Corinne Svala.
Internationalization of the conflictOnce the negotiation process finished, the Spanish government threats became real. They resorted to the agreements they made with other States to intensify the prosecution against the Basque activists refugee in these countries. France was the more involved in this task, and therefore they have intensified the prosecution and arrest of Basque activist, they have applied all the Eurowarrants requested by the Spanish government, and they are handing many Basque people who are in French prisons to the Spanish courts.
But also the international solidarity with Euskal Herria has been important, and we are very grateful for it. This police prosecution has been strongly replied un many countries by the internationalist movement, in solidarity with the Basque people. Thank you very much.
Politicization of JusticeThe Spanish state prepares another attack against the Basque society: the heads of the Basque newspaper Egunkaria (one of the papers closed by the Spanish government under the accusation of belonging to ETA) will be taken to court. The prosecutor asks for 14 years of imprisonment. The minister of Justice of the Basque government said, ?It is time to face up the Spanish government?. Words, words, words...
Meanwhile, the 53 people accused in the summary 18/98 (who have been attending the trial in Madrid during 16 months) wait the sentence, which for sure will be a political one. At the end of September took place a crowded popular feast to support the people accused. The slogan of the feast was quite clear: ?Our common work will be a fence to stop the Spanish state?.
On the last days of October, the Spanish justice decides to judge the leaders of the political parties who had meetings with the leaders of Batasuna. This is the shameful consequence of the ever more shameful Law, the Political Parties Law, that illegalizes Batasuna. The ones who are now accused under it, the leaders of PSOE and PNV, obediently observed this Law.
September 27, tribute to the volunteersOn September 27, 1975 five activists (two volunteers belonging to ETA, and 3 belonging to the antifascist front FRAP) were executed by firing squad. Since then, September 27 is a day to tribute the volunteer death in the popular fight. Thousand people marched on the streets claiming the need of keep on fighting in the defense of the denied rights. The more common slogan was one very known by Basque people: "Fight is the only way".
September 28: the announced plebiscite of the Basque PresidentThe September 28 plenary session of the Basque Parliament starts the political year, and Basque President Ibarretxe announces his ?road map? until 2010 to solve the conflict. He announces that if an agreement with Madrid is not reached, Basque people will be consulted. The Basque left feel very doubtful because they do not trust a person who is always observing the Spanish government orders, even the ones he believes to be unjust. The Basque left support the idea of starting a new democratic cycle, but they announce that they would not support the plebiscite in case of exclusions or fraud.
October 3: Popular defense of the political prisoners, victims of the conflictPopular defense of our political prisoners is permanent, and gives rise to many activities. The support of the prisoners also becomes a test to know the real intentions of the politicians. The association supporting the relatives of the prisoners, Etxerat, wanted to meet the Basque President, but he, who is always talking about de defense of the human rights, did not want to meet them. Far from it, the Basque government called a plenary session about terrorism victims that took place on October 3. Shamefully, the session ignored the victims who rot in jail, as these victims are too uncomfortable. Despite this official disdain, the relatives held a demonstration in front of the Basque Parliament with the slogan: ?Solving the conflict is the best tribute to victims?
October 2 and 4: Political interlocutors arrestedAs long as the negotiation channels were open, Basque prisoners become political hostages used by the Spanish government. Once the negotiations were over, the Spanish state has used the prisons to punish the coherence of Basque interlocutors, and to answer ETA's attacks. From the very moment the process was over, the detentions increased several times, especially regarding the ones who were the interlocutors during the negotiations. The Spanish state did not respect even the basic negotiation process protocol: Even before the process was over, they arrested two members of ETA?s negotiating team. When the process finished, on October 2 and 4 they arrested and imprisoned Batasunas's leadership, who were been followed and controlled many days before. This kind of actions is characteristic of totalitarian governments. The Irish priest Alec Reid, who directly took part in the Irish negotiating process, said: "We can not said that Spain is a democratic state?.
October 12: Recovering national conscienceOn October 12 Spain celebrates the Hispanic day, remembering the Spanish Empire and its roots. It is a day for institutional celebrations, military parades; a day to remember to those who gave their lives for the mother country...the Spanish one.
The Basque left organized several activities aiming to recover the Basque conscience: The students organized ?popular schools?, the fascist parade was stopped. The main activity took place in Iruñea where 15.000 people attended a demonstration organized by ANV demanding the Basque nationality and our political rights.
October 22: The battle in the city hallsMany seats at the city councils belonging to the Basque left have been usurped. This is especially clear and scandalous in two city councils where the Basque left got an absolute majority. The right (PNV in one case, PP in the other) had the same pirate attitude: they appropriated two city councils that the elections gave to the [illegalized] Basque left. In both cases popular mobilization showed that the people do not accept this plundering. PNV as well PP resorted to the police aid to silence people's voice. This is a very typical right wing attitude. What a city council, only supported by guns! Although the plundering and the repression, the people belonging to both villages keep on fighting to recover the plundered city council. On October 22 Spanish police prevented Ondarroa's people to attend the city council's plenary session called by the fraudulent managing agency that is ruling the city council.
ETA's armed actionsThe Basque socialist revolutionary organization carried out several armed actions aiming to beset the Spanish state so that they agree to reopen a negotiation process that respects all interlocutors and the rights of our people: On September ETA put an explosive charge in front of a Guardia Civil station; some days later, they try the same thing in front an army station (where the explosive charge did not explode). On September 26 they attack a Basque-Spanish police station; on October 10 there is an attack against the car belonging to an escort of a PSOE's city councilor. In the meantime, several tons of a nitrogenous material that could be used to make explosives were stolen in France. ETA is the main suspect. And Basque businessmen keep on receiving letters asking them to economically contribute to finance the activities of the organization.
Bet on political channelsAs the Spanish government intensifies the repression, the Basque left bet on a political and negotiated solution. While a new massive detention was taking place, the few Batasuna leaders who are still free reiterate it: "We will intensify the political initiatives?. ANV, the Basque left political organization that is now the voice of the Basque left, reiterate the same message. During the demonstration that took place in Iruña on October 12, they announced that they will attend the general elections for the Spanish Parliament that will take place on March 2008. On October 28 they held their IX Conference, where they reassert their defense of the right of self-determination, and they also announced their project to organize Basque National Council.
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Deialdiak
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Movement against the Globalization
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